1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the production of panels, in particular sandwich panels, from fibre-reinforced plastic materials. In this connection, consideration may in particular be given to panels which are subject to high loads, for example for bridge decks, which have to be able to withstand the total load which is the sum of the weight of the bridge itself and the weight of the road traffic, as well as the local loads which are caused by wheels and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the traditional process of producing such a panel, a shell is first produced in a mould which has the desired complementary shape of, for example, the bridge deck. This shell consists of fibre-reinforced plastic, as can be produced by impregnating fibre webs or mats with resin. A core is arranged on this shell, following which a second shell is then constructed. After these components have been assembled correctly, the semifinished product obtained is ready for further processing.
One of the drawbacks of this method is its complexity. The process in question comprises four steps, i.e. producing the first shell, producing the core, placing the core on the first shell, producing the second shell and placing the second shell on the core. This is the reason why such a process is time consuming. A further drawback of this method is the risk that the interface between the core and the skins is not completely moistened during adhesive bonding, which may result in inclusions of air which are disadvantageous for the strength and stiffness of the resultant product.